Introduction: We come to the final lesson in this series about
revival and reformation. After these studies, what do you now think
is the goal of revival and reformation? Would you agree that it is to
get to know God better so that we love Him more? What is the purpose
of getting to know God better and loving Him more? To get ready to go
home to live with Him forever? To take with us as many as possible?
Let’s plunge into our study to contemplate how we finish the work God
has given us!
- Until the End
- Read Matthew 28:18. This is Jesus speaking. Why would He
say that all authority in heaven and earth had been given
to Him? Didn’t He always have it? Why say “given?”(Jesus
had just defeated sin at the cross. He defeated the
authority of Satan on earth; an authority given by Adam
and Eve when they sinned.) - Read Matthew 28:19-20. How should Jesus’ victory at the
cross change our work? (Now that Jesus has defeated sin,
we have the great opportunity to share the good news!) - What should be the result of hearing this good news?
(That we give our allegiance to the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit, that we become baptized and that we
obey.) - What does Jesus promise? (He will be with us to the
“very end of the age.” - Why is that important? (He is not deserting us
– ever!) - I like this promise to be with us, but I wonder
why Jesus specifically mentions the “end of the
age.” What do you think is the reason Jesus
specifically mentioned it? (Jesus is not giving
up on us.) - Read Acts 3:17-21. Peter writes that Jesus will remain in
heaven until the end. How can Jesus say that He is with us
“to the very end of the age” and yet He remains in heaven
until He comes again? (Read John 16:5-7. Jesus says that
He will send the “Counselor” (the Holy Spirit). If you
continue reading John 16:8-15 you find the rest of the
details.) - If you have said, “I wish that I could have been with
Jesus,” for what should you pray? If you want Jesus
to help you with your discipleship work, for what
should you pray? (For the Holy Spirit.) - End Time Power
- Read Joel 2:28. One spiritual thing that troubles me is
that the Holy Spirit was active in the early church in a
way that my church would not recognize. What does the word
picture “pour” teach us about the work of the Holy Spirit?
(The Holy Spirit manifests Himself in different measures.
I call it “high power” and “low power” Holy Spirit.
“Afterward” we will have the Holy Spirit “poured,” that
must mean high power.) - Is that yet to happen? Something for which we have to
wait? (In Acts 2, the day of Pentecost, the Holy
Spirit came in high power. In Acts 2:14-17 Peter says
that Joel 2 is being fulfilled then. That tells me
that we have entered the high power time.) - Joel 2 contains several symbols. We have the symbol of God
leading a mighty army. The symbol of God’s people
preparing for His coming. The symbol of God blessing His
people like He blesses farmers. Read Joel 2:23. This
speaks of autumn and spring rains. Is this evidence that
the Holy Spirit is poured out in different measures at
different times? (Yes.) - Does that explain why we now seem to be living in a
low power time for the Holy Spirit? - If you said, “Yes,” how do you explain that the
pouring time of Joel 2 began at Pentecost? (I think
we are at fault. I believe that the Holy Spirit is
willing to pour right now, but we are holding Him
back.) - If we are holding the Holy Spirit back, what does
that say about us looking forward to Jesus’ Second
Coming? - What can we do about this problem of experiencing only low
power Holy Spirit? (Read Acts 1:12-14. This is how Jesus’
followers got ready for high power Holy Spirit.) - High Power Holy Spirit
- Read Joel 2:28-29. In the Old Testament we had the priest
and prophet model of leadership. In the early church,
Jesus selected young men to be His leadership team. What
leadership model do we see here? (Gender and age are
irrelevant. Social status is irrelevant. The Holy Spirit
works through every willing person.) - Is there anything we should be doing now regarding
our organization model to prepare for high power Holy
Spirit? - Read Joel 2:30-31. What should we expect to happen?
(Wonders in heaven and on earth.)
- Is this all good? (“Blood, fire and billows of smoke”
do not sound positive to me!) - Notice that the last part of verse 31 refers to the
“great and dreadful day of the Lord.” What light does
that give? (The final days are a combination of
wonderful and dreadful.) - Read Joel 2:32. What can we know about the wonderful part?
(That if we call on Jesus, we will be saved.) - Final Conflict
- Read Revelation 14:6-7. What should we be doing? Cheering
on the angel messengers? (Read Philippians 1:3-5. We are
in a partnership with God to share the “eternal gospel”
until He comes.) - Why is an angel mentioned if this is our work? (This
confirms the partnership. The mighty resources of
heaven are in partnership with us to share the
gospel) - Look again at Revelation 14:6-7. What is at the core of
the gospel? (God is our Creator, and He deserves our
worship. God is our Judge and our Redeemer, the time has
come to choose to partner with God.) - Read Revelation 14:8. What is our message here? (That
Satan and his strongholds have been defeated.) - Read Revelation 14:9-11. What is our message here? (If you
give your allegiance to Satan, it will not go well for
you.) - Read Luke 15:1-2. How do we welcome sinners and tax
collectors, as Jesus did, and be true to the message
of Revelation 14:9-11? (This calls for the Holy
Spirit to lead! The essentials are that we welcome
sinners to our church, but we tell them the truth
about judgment. How these are put together requires
Holy Spirit driven discretion.) - Read Revelation 14:12. “Patient endurance” is not how I
would describe our gospel partnership with the powers of
heaven. Let’s go do something great! What point am I
missing? (This is not a sprint, where we become winded and
stop. This is a long-term project. We need to be patient,
we need to endure.) - What do God’s followers in this final gospel push
look like? (They obey God, they are faithful to God.
These are a people whose goal is holiness.) - Read Revelation 19:11-14. Who is the rider? (Jesus!)
- How does Jesus’ Second Coming compare to His first?
(This is what Jesus’ disciples wanted. “With
justice,” Jesus “judges and makes war.” Jesus
destroys sin, death and those who promote them.)
- Read Revelation 21:1-4. Come, Lord Jesus, come!
- Friend, do you want an end to tears, death, mourning and
pain? If so, pray for high power Holy Spirit, and partner
with God to share the everlasting gospel. Will you ask the
Spirit to help you show endurance, reflect holy living and
patience for your Champion to bring the armies of heaven
to bring an end to sin! - Next week: We start a new series of lessons entitled “The
Picture of Salvation.”
